[Zope] Strategy for 100 SQL tables

[Robert Rottermann]

> So far, I've learned a little about archetypes which match these
> requirements pretty closely, but I only see how to use them in plone,
> not zope by itself. Any thoughts?
> 
As you learned already, there are different object types the content a 
Zope installation is made of.
All of them are defined as Python classes that reside on the file 
system. They all differ in their purpose and how they are used and how 
they present them selfs to the user.
On top of that base a CMS system called CMF (Content Management 
Framework) was created. Within this framework objects that behave 
intelligently within the context of a CMS exists. These are "mere" base 
objects that know how to participate in a work flow or how to index them 
selfs automatically for easy retrival. we call them "portal_types".
CMF comes with a bunch of them predefined like Document, Portal Image, File.
Plone itself is (theoretically) only a Gui on top of CMF striving to 
give a better user experience in using CMF (it has long passed this state).
If you want a new Portal-type that exhibits behavior none of the 
existing ones does you "traditionally" take one of base Zope classes 
like Image, add the needed behavior, derive it also from the CMF classes 
and add some more magic potion to give it CMF behavior and you are ready 
to use your new portal type within a CMF/Plone environment. However (and 
this is a big share of the whole job) you still have to create all the 
UI stuff.

The more powerful CMF/Plone becomes the more magic potion you have to 
allot to your new portal types. To ease this, and to help that 
everything derives from a common base Archetypes where created. Using 
them to create new content types should relieve you from much of the 
burden. Theoretically they allow you to create a new portal type with UI 
and all within seconds. Practically it probably will take a bit more 
(say half a day).

Robert